


Defending her honour

by Doctorsmelody



Category: Doctor Who RPF, Mattex - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 06:56:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7256923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doctorsmelody/pseuds/Doctorsmelody
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Alex gets herself in trouble with the fans again, Matt decides it is his job to defend her honour. Inspired partly by what happened last night at the Denver Comic Con, only I've taken a few creative liberties!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Defending her honour

**Author's Note:**

> As I said in the summary, I got the inspiration for this from what happened at the Denver Comic Con, I have directly quoted Alex in the fic. I don't think she deserves any of the shit she has received for her views, what I've used as Matt's view in this is actually mine. For the sake for this, Matt and Alex are both SINGLE and obviously Matt was at the con as well. I haven't seen any video footage of the panel yet, only read a few tweets/tumblr posts etc on what happened. I really, really hope Alex never gets any shit like this in RL, and I hope that if she does, then she never reads it, and is thick skinned enough to see those people for what they really are. If you don't agree with my views, then please don't give me shit either please.... I have enough of that to deal with as it is!

She sat next to Jenna, picking at the hem of her black and grey striped t-shirt, waiting for the next fan to ask their question. The whole convention had been going really well, she got to see Matt again which was the best bit. He’d taken some time out from rehearsals for his new play which opened in a couple of weeks, to fly all the way to Denver for just 4 days. The pair hadn’t had much of a chance to catch up so far, but had promised to meet that evening, after Matt’s panel for drinks much to Alex’s delight.  
“How do you feel on the prospect of a female Doctor?” They were asked.  
Alex shifted to a slightly more comfortable position before opening her mouth to speak. “I think the Doctor should remain male. He’s a Time Lord. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Alex answered truthfully. She was surprised when some people in the audience started murmuring their displeasure at her answer, a few even started booing. “But that’s just my opinion, sorry!” She quickly added.  
As soon as she left the main hall where the panel had taken place, she headed to the cafeteria to get herself a much needed cup of coffee. She was walking to the empty table she had spotted with her paper coffee cup, when a ‘fan’ bumped into her accidentally on purpose, Alex apologised profusely, but was sure she heard the girl mumble something about being a misogynistic cow. Alex shook her head to clear it of thoughts of the incident, and sat down pulling her phone out to scroll through her messages.  
I’d avoid social media if I were you Mom – Sal x  
What have you said this time Melody? Is Mummy Pond going to have to have a little chat with you again? - Kaz  
Angered the feminist Whovians? You are one brave lady – Jen  
Why shouldn’t we have a female Doctor Alex? I reckon I’d kick ass – Nic  
She looked confused until she opened the twitter app. Alex didn’t have her own personal account, but Salome had borrowed her phone to use it a few weeks before and never logged out. She found herself typing her name into the search bar before she knew what she was doing. She gasped aloud when she saw the page fill with hateful messages directed towards her. She read tweet after tweet, about how she was a misogynist, an anti-feminist, how she was dangerous, and that people had lost respect for her after her comments about whether there should be a female Doctor. How could they say things like that? She’d had to deal with unkind comments before, but they were usually aimed at the characters, not her personally, and not on this scale.  
“Kingston! Mind if I join- Hey, what’s wrong?” Matt shouted, before lowering his voice to a much calmer, more caring tone and he reached across the table for her hands. Alex looked up at Matt with sad, tear filled eyes.  
“Nothing darling. Don’t worry about me, I’m just being a silly old woman.”   
“Alex love, you are in the middle of a convention crying, something must have happened.” She choked back a sob. “I’m sorry Matt, It’s just…. The fans… you know… they’re saying some not very nice things.”  
Matt stood up and pulled Alex from her seat, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as he passed her her coffee cup before picking up his own.  
“Come on, let’s go somewhere a bit quieter.” He led Alex into a small sideroom, just off of the main convention hall. As soon as he closed the door, Alex broke down. He rushed to her side, wrapping his arms around her tightly, rubbing soothing circles on the small of her back as she buried her face in the crook of his neck as she sobbed. He didn’t bother attempting to ask what had happened whilst she was still crying, waiting instead until the tears had subsided, just reminding her constantly that everything would be ok.  
“Gonna tell me what happened yet?” He asked eventually.  
“It’s silly Matt. I’m just getting hormonal-”  
“DON’T YOU DARE SAY AT MY AGE!” He shouted a little louder than he had intended. “You haven’t aged a single day since you left ER. You’re bloody gorgeous.”  
“You are a terrible flirt… and a liar evidently, but that’s not what upset me. I made a comment about how I think the Doctor should remain male, and now I’m getting all this hate from feminists, saying I’m a misogynist, dangerous, stupid, they’ve lost respect for me. One girl even pushed into me just before you came and called me a cow. I’ve never had anything like this happen. I know I’ve probably overreacted, but it just upset me you know? And to be honest, it’s knocked my confidence a bit. I make one small comment, and suddenly I’m a feminist pariah.”  
“Why were you even looking online in the first place? I didn’t have you down as the type to google yourself.”  
Alex laughed awkwardly. “I’m not, I don’t know why I did it.” She admitted before adding quietly, “I wish I hadn’t.”  
“I know it’s easier said than done love, but you can’t pay any attention to it, and especially don’t let them make you cry.” Matt looked down at his watch. “Shit, Alex, I’m due on stage in 2 minutes, my PA is probably on a witch hunt for me. Why don’t you come and watch? I can keep an eye on you then.”  
“You don’t need to keep an eye on me Matthew, I’m old enough to be your mother remember, I can look after myself.” She said, wiping at her eyes with a tissue to hide the streaky mascara.  
“Speaking of which, don’t think I didn’t hear about your comments about me being your child. Is that how you really see me? Like a son?” Alex stopped walking towards the door, and headed back towards Matt. She reached up and placed a reassuring hand on his cheek.  
“I see you as many, many different things darling, my child is definitely, most certainly not one of them. In fact, it would be wrong if it was.”  
“I’m glad to hear it Kingston, now, we’ve got to run…. Literally!”  
They ran across the main hall to get to the smaller theatre where Matt’s panel was due to start a couple of minutes previously. Alex waited by the side of the stage as Matt dashed up the stairs two at a time.  
“Hello! Hello! Sorry I’m late, I was just helping the Missus!” Matt told the crowd, gesturing towards Alex. “I didn’t want her getting any more upset because she’d just shoot another of my hats!”  
The audience cheered, and just like that, they were putty in his hands. Alex stayed in the shadows, laughing along with the crowd, feeling her mood brighten with each word Matt spoke.  
A member of the audience stepped up to the mic and finally asked the question Matt had been hoping for.   
“Matt, what are your views on a possible female Doctor?”  
Matt stuttered for a couple of seconds, deciding on the right wording for his answer.  
“I’m not going to answer that question, because I want to say something else instead. Alex was asked this question earlier, and she gave her honest, personal opinion, and has been utterly vilified for it, both online and in person. That’s why I was late here, I was comforting Alex because she was so upset by what people were saying about her that she was sobbing on her shoulder for half an hour, and that is wrong. Alex is such a strong believer in feminism. You just have to look at some of the characters she has played to see that, River, Dr Corday, Moll Flanders, Boudicca, even how roles in Essex Boys, Croupier, Hope Springs… they are all strong women who can look after themselves. River Song is an amazing character, she is such a strong role model for young girls, and Alex should be proud of that. Yes, I agree with Alex, we need more strong, female characters, who don’t need a man to save the day, who aren’t stick insects, who aren’t 20 something years old, people that young girls and boys can look up to and say yes! I want to be like them! That doesn’t mean that the Doctor has to become a woman on his next regeneration, we need to look outside the context of Doctor Who, and at sci-fi and the acting industry in general. We need more kick ass women, like the characters Alex plays, but what these trolls don’t see, is Alex Kingston, the woman. She is nothing like the characters she plays on screen. Alex is really, very vulnerable, and insecure, and has so many doubts about herself, and I really wish she didn’t. She is, and I’m speaking honestly and from the heart here, even though I know she will never believe me, the most gorgeous, kind hearted, loving, funny woman I have ever had the good fortune to know, she is a fantastic mother, and an amazing role model herself. She has been through so, so much crap in her life, and look at her. She’s still standing because she’s stronger than she gives herself credit for, but she doesn’t need all of this hate. Do you know why I’m saying all of this? It’s because she already has so many doubts about herself, she doesn’t those trolls rubbing salt on the wound. I know she won’t believe a word I’ve said, but I would tell her how special she is every day for the rest of our lives if she’d let me, because I love her.” Matt looked around from the audience, and turned his attention to Alex just as he saw her drop the bottle of water she had been holding, mouth hanging open.   
“Shut your mouth Kingston, you’ll catch flies!” Matt joked, as he watched her walk up on stage. It was only under the harsh glare of the spotlights that he saw the fresh tears rolling down her face.  
“Do you mean it?” She asked quietly.  
“Which bit?”  
“All of it, that last bit in particular.”  
Matt lunged forward, dropping the microphone, forgetting about the audience and cupped her face with his hands. He pulled her in close to him, and kissed her. Alex stiffened beneath him for just a few milliseconds, before melting into the kiss, winding one arm around his waist and the other on his shoulder. Matt slid one hand round to the back of her head, and the other onto the small of her back, hauling her even closer to him as she opened her mouth and allowed his tongue entrance. Their lips moved together for a few more moments until Alex slowly pulled back just slightly, resting her forehead against his own.  
“Sweetie, we’re on stage.” She whispered to him.  
“I know. I don’t care.” Matt whispered back.  
Alex leant in and kissed him again. “In case you were unsure, that means I love you too.”  
They stood looking at each other, grinning like a pair of loons for a few seconds before Alex slowly walked off stage, leaving him with a look that said just you wait until this evening. Matt returned his attention back to the audience.  
“Uh… right… ok then… next question?” He asked, blushing slightly.  
That night, they lay wrapped in a tangle of arms, legs and blankets in Alex’s hotel room.  
“Why did you say all of that today?” Alex asked, her face nuzzling into his chest, her fingers circling one of his nipples.  
“I had to defend your honour Kingston.”  
“You’re my knight in shining armour. Were you serious about telling me all of that every day for the rest of our lives?” She asked, lifting her head and crossing her arms across his stomach, resting her chin atop.  
“Yes. I’ll tell you every day for the rest of time how special you are and how much I love you, but I can see how that could come across as a bit clingy, so for now, I’ll settle for as long as you’ll let me.”  
He pulled her up and kissed her again, Alex’s legs settled either side of his waist.  
“Forever sounds good to me.” She mumbled into his mouth. You never knew if she would need her knight in shining armour again.


End file.
